Hush Little Girl by Lisa Regan @lisareganauthor @lisaregan.bsky.social @katehandford @bookouture @bookouture.bsky.social @hachetteuk @hachetteuk.bsky.social #DetectiveJosieQuinn #HushLittleGirl

the setup…
It’s the day of Detectives Josie Quinn and Noah Fraley’s wedding and they’re surrounded by family, friends and colleagues, ready to celebrate at the Harper’s Peak Resort. From her hotel room, Josie sees some unusual activity and knows something is wrong when two of the department’s detectives and the police chief join in. Josie joins them, finding the body of a 12-year old girl lying dead on the chapel steps in peaceful repose, right where the wedding is scheduled to be. And it’s someone she knows.

the heart of the story…
They were that close! But you know Josie, this apparent murder will take precedence over her wedding. Things get worse when she goes to the girl’s home and finds her mother dead on the floor. And, it gets creepier when she and Detective Gretchen Palmer search the house for the youngest daughter, eight-year old Emily, and can’t find her but know she’s there. It’s beyond puzzling.

the narration…
Kate Handford has firmly imprinted her voice in my head as the voice of this series and that’s a very good thing. Her storytelling skills are wonderful.

the bottom line…
There are so many twisty paths to explore with this one. Emily knows so much but is unwilling to share when asked, only giving the sign for “hush.” There are mental health issues presented in the most respectful and insightful ways, leaving me with a whole new perspective about those suffering from obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD). There’s also a tragedy here that broke my heart and I never saw it coming. This was exceptional plotting and character design and, even though I figured out the killer before the reveal, the journey getting there had me mesmerized.

Book Info

• Release Date: April 14, 2021
• Series: Detective Josie Quinn #11
• Narrator: Kate Handford
• Audio Length: 10 hours, 13 minutes
• Publisher: Hachette UK – Bookouture

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